Chapter 152: Masquerade (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 152: Masquerade (2)
The first floor of the Tower of Trials was, in many ways, the most complex place.
It served as the entrance for Players from all over the world, while also unfolding into fields where they could hunt.
At the same time, it also contained "neutral zones" where monsters could not enter, just like the place where Jinhyuk and Alice were currently standing.
"Is this the place?"
Alice looked around with a curious expression.
Standing fifty meters high, an outer wall whose ends were nowhere in sight exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure.
"That's right. The masquerade is going to be held here."
Jinhyuk nodded.
Perhaps because it had been a while since he last visited, a wave of nostalgia washed over him.
It probably didn't help that he had been growing and climbing the Tower at such a breakneck pace, leaving him with no time to catch his breath.
[You have entered the neutral zone, 'Nameless City'.]
As they stepped inside, a rather interesting sight unfolded.
Buzz, buzz.
The interior was packed to the brim with countless Players gathered from all over the world.
However, the most peculiar thing was the entities mingled among them.
Like ghosts, only their clothes floated in midair, catching the eye.
"Those things. They aren't human, are they?"
"They're the minions of the middle managers. They mostly handle the miscellaneous chores around the city."
Since most Players didn't even know middle managers existed, they were completely unaware of such detailed settings.
At most, they probably just thought of them as NPCs residing in the Tower.
'Of course, the Players who received invitations will start to notice their existence now.'
Jinhyuk walked down the street with a smirk.
To attend a ball, one naturally needed appropriate attire.
He stopped in front of a clothing store tucked away in a corner of an alley.
Though it didn't stand out much compared to other places, this shop was run by an artisan known only to those in the know.
Well, it wasn't like he chose this place solely for the tailor's craftsmanship, though.
Creak!
As the door opened, a small, green-skinned goblin came into view.
And.
A very familiar man was also there.
"What, you got an invitation too? Well, I guess since the Sword Saint... is the Sword Saint, it's only natural."
A sculptured, handsome face and a uniquely sharp aura that made it difficult for anyone to approach easily.
It was Cheon Yu-seong.
Standing on a circular pedestal while letting the Goblin Tailor take his measurements, Cheon Yu-seong's eyes widened.
"...You!"
Just a short while ago, this guy had shoved him into freezing water under the pretext of a hunting competition.
Then, he had simply cooked and devoured the prey all by himself before vanishing.
With the culprit—against whom he already held a massive grudge—standing right before him, his anger naturally flared.
"W-Wait! I know you're mad. But hear me out first."
"I've been fooled by your glib tongue more than once or twice. Do you really think I'll fall for it again?"
Cheon Yu-seong reached for his sword resting on the table, as if there was nothing more to discuss.
The air froze in an instant.
If things went wrong, a bloodbath could break out right here.
"Ahem. Fighting here would be quite troublesome for both of you..."
The Goblin Tailor also toyed with his glasses.
Seriously, did this so-called civilized man throw his manners into the neighbor's dog bowl?
It was utterly mind-boggling that a guy like this was going to become a doctor who would handle patients' lives in the future.
Still, he had to stop him for now.
If a fight actually broke out, forget the masquerade—they'd end up straight in the Tower's prison.
"No, I'm serious this time. I was actually planning to get a sword for you at the masquerade. A barter! Yeah, that's it!"
Jinhyuk shouted urgently.
At that, Cheon Yu-seong paused.
"A barter?"
"Yeah, man. You know your hyung cares about you deeply, right? I'll get you a proper one, not some shabby thing like that."
"You say that only because you don't know much about this sword. At least below the 10th floor..."
"An option that increases cutting power by 30% after landing three successful attacks isn't bad. But with just that, you're going to struggle in 'that place' on the 8th floor right away, you know?"
"H-How do you..."
Startled, Cheon Yu-seong tried to say something but trailed off.
Right. If it was this damn veteran, he would know exactly what kind of sword it was just by looking at its appearance.
'On top of that, did he even predict where I would move next?'
It was as if he had precognition.
At the thought that all his plans and movements were being read, Cheon Yu-seong's pride took a massive hit.
But there was nothing he could do.
In reality, the labyrinth on the 8th floor was currently not easy to clear.
If he could obtain a better weapon...
He had no choice but to fall for those words once again.
'Whew. Let's stay calm.'
And be careful.
Cheon Yu-seong composed his breathing.
He had to learn from the countless times he had been tricked and perfectly cover his flaws.
Only then could he finally escape from that terrible demon.
"Fine. I will trust you one last time. Truly, the absolute last time."
"Don't worry. Even the national anthem only goes up to four verses, so would I really trick you yet again?"
This time, he actually intended to find a decent sword and hand it over.
After all, human psychology dictates that even if you treat someone poorly ten times, doing them one good turn will melt their heart.
There was a reason bad boys were so popular.
Besides.
'With a superficial excuse like this, he won't suspect anything.'
In truth, there was a hidden motive behind offering him a sword for free.
Namely, Cheon Yu-seong had to clear the troublesome labyrinth on the 8th floor so he could focus entirely on training on the 15th floor.
And only by dedicating himself to training could he obtain the skill exclusive to training maniacs, which Jinhyuk could then easily copy.
Although there was a 90-day copy restriction on the same target, the cooldown would have easily reset by then.
'I won't be fooled this time. I will definitely get my hands on that sword.'
'Hehe. Grow up quickly, my little skill shuttle, so you can decorate my status window.'
With both of them harboring entirely different thoughts, the frozen atmosphere softened gently.
* * *
"By the way, did she also receive an invitation?"
Cheon Yu-seong glanced at Alice, who was standing behind Jinhyuk.
Alice had been watching the war of nerves between the two with great interest.
"Indeed. I, too..."
"Ah. She also came to attend the ball."
Jinhyuk quickly cut in.
If he had been even a second later, her chuunibyou-like dialogue would have spilled out unfiltered.
"...I see. I've thought she was an unusual Player ever since the 7th floor, but which country is she affiliated with?"
Hmm, that question was quite troublesome.
Naturally, he couldn't tell the truth.
"Ro-Ro...mania?"
"Romania?"
"What?! I am not from some 'Romania' or whatever, but the great— mgh-mgh!"
Once again, Jinhyuk muffled Alice's mouth.
"Somewhere around there. She's the descendant of a fallen noble family, so she has a massive ego. Plus, she went through a highly traumatic event, so she talks nonsense sometimes. Please understand."
"Well, alright. I'm done here, so I'll be on my way. I'll see you at the masquerade."
Cheon Yu-seong didn't pry further and lost interest in Alice.
He then paid the Goblin Tailor for his suit.
"2,500 Coins confirmed. In that case, I will send the completed suit to Cheon Yu-seong's personal subspace inventory."
The goblin bowed politely.
A moment later, after Cheon Yu-seong left the shop,
"Shall I tailor suits for the two of you to wear to the ball as well? In my personal opinion, unifying everything in black, from the clothes to the shoes, would look best."
the Goblin Tailor asked, turning toward them.
"Suits... Ah, yes, we should get suits. We do need to get two tailored, but..."
Well.
"Actually, I'm more interested in something else."
"Hmm. Of course, we do carry bags and accessories in addition to suits, but those are not my specialty."
"Not those. I was hoping to buy things like the scales of a Mangapsan, a Red Drake's claw, or the root of a Demon-Blossom Herb."
"Haha. Those are all items that cannot be obtained on the 1st floor. I'm afraid there is nothing I can do to help you with that."
The Goblin Tailor burst into a hearty laugh and shook his head.
His dumbfounded expression, as if looking at someone trying to catch a fish in the mountains, was a bonus.
However, Jinhyuk's smile didn't waver.
Because...
"Surely not. How could a great middle manager be unable to obtain such simple items?"
he had to drop this bombshell.
It was a short sentence, but the weight of its implications was by no means light.
The goblin's eyes trembled slightly.
It was only for a split second, but Jinhyuk did not miss that subtle shift.
"I believe you have mistaken me for someone else. I am not a middle manager, but merely a humble shopkeeper running this store."
As expected.
So that's how he's going to play it.
If he was going to deny it like that, then there was no helping it.
"Three."
Jinhyuk held up his fingers.
"There are exactly three things I found strange."
The goblin did not reply.
He simply kept his mouth shut and waited for Jinhyuk to speak.
Good.
With this, phase one was complete.
"First, this shop. From the moment I walked in, a sweet scent tickled my nose. It's the scent of the 'Snowflake Canola Flower' which only grows on the 16th floor of the Tower. It has excellent effects on fatigue recovery and mental stability... Hmm, and you've mixed in the scents of a few other flowers as well, haven't you?"
The 'Swamp Wildflower' mainly found in rainforest regions.
And even the 'Last Dew' which only grows on eternal snow mountains.
Quite a few different scents were blended together.
All in a combination that brought out their mutual synergy.
"Isn't it strange? That the owner of a tiny shop on the 1st floor of the Tower possesses flowers that can only be obtained on the middle floors or higher? And all just to use them as a mere air freshener?"
"..."
The goblin still did not answer.
However, his expression had changed slightly from before.
An expression filled with curiosity hinted at his anticipation for what would come next.
"Second, when Cheon Yu-seong released his mana, you didn't flinch in the slightest."
A goblin, considered the weakest creature in the Tower.
How could such a weak monster dare to withstand the pressure exuded by Players whose average level is close to 50?
It made absolutely no sense.
The gap between the two was as wide as that between a tiger and a hamster.
In other words, the goblin standing before me is different from a typical specimen with a small build and weak mana.
"Lastly, you asked if 'the two of you' would also like to get suits tailored."
At Jinhyuk's words, the goblin questioned him for the first time.
"If two people came together, isn't it common sense to tailor two suits? I fail to understand how that serves as a clue."
"No, it is strange. Because once the masquerade event is triggered, the entities in this city should be able to check whether a Player possesses an invitation."
They would know exactly who is a regular visitor, and who is the actual participant of this event.
In other words, they know everything.
However, "my friend here doesn't have an invitation."
Jinhyuk pointed over his shoulder at Alice.
She was a True Ancestor, not a Player.
Therefore, she never had an invitation to begin with.
And for someone who knows that to be certain that Alice would also attend the ball...
"It means you've already heard about me from Rick. Naturally, if the master of a great merchant group knows you, you must also be leading a merchant group of a certain caliber."
He was likely one of the executive-level members working under Rick.
'Though I was a bit surprised since it's my first time seeing him too.'
At any rate, this was more than enough explanation.
If he had any conscience, he wouldn't be able to deny it now.
And as if to prove that thought,
"Puhaha! My word. You've left me utterly speechless. Rick did mention there was an interesting Player recently, but I never imagined you would be this fascinating."
The goblin burst into wild laughter, thoroughly amused.
However, "there is one thing you got wrong, Kang Jinhyuk."
The corners of the goblin's mouth curled upward.
Meanwhile, Jinhyuk's eyes shook at the words that followed.